Chapter 10 "Blood on the Prairie A Novel of the Sioux Uprising" (continued)

 Background: At this point in the story line, Chief Scout Toby Ryker is visiting the sick and wounded soldiers from the Dakota Conflict and the larger Civil War hospitalized at Fort Snelling. He meets a mortally wounded young soldier named Edwin Balch from Glencoe, Minnesota, and accompanies him on his last journey home. We call him Eddy and have him as an amputee with gangrene. Balch is cited on page 333 of Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865 published in 1890 by the Pioneer Press Company, St Paul, Minnesota. The cite states: Enlisted Men Balch, Edwin, age 20, mustered in June 13, '62, mustered out (blank) Died November 27, '62 at Glencoe, Minn. This is our literary tribute to Edwin Balch.

The following morning, Ryker and Henrick broke camp, and by seven o’clock they were headed back down the road toward Glencoe. They made steady progress all day and by the time they stopped for the night, they knew one more day would do it. The last day was very difficult on Eddy, for the road was filled with ruts, and despite Henrick’s attempts to drive the team easy, the boy’s wounds broke open. He cried out in pain whenever the ironclad wagon wheels hit a pothole, and finally they had to stop to clean and re-wrap his wounds. By the time they arrived in Glencoe, he was considerably weakened and had fallen into a light slumber.

“Hey soldier, wake up! You’re home!”

At the sound of Ryker’s voice, Eddy opened his eyes and looked around. There before him were his parents, Becky and her parents, and a minister. Becky was dressed in a beautiful white wedding gown with a long veil and held a bouquet of flowers. He looked at Ryker questioningly.

“Do you know anything about this?”

“Yup, I know all about it. Eddy, we’re going to clean you up now and dress you in a spiffy two-dollar suit. This is your wedding day!”

“Becky? Ma? Pa? Is this a joke?”

“It most certainly is not!” Becky said, bending over the cot and kissing him. “You are my shining knight, and I’ve waited much too long to make you my husband. I should have done this before you left last June, like you wanted to.”

“Becky, oh, Becky,” Eddy cried. “You have made this the happiest day of my life!” 

 Read the entire story of the Dakota Conflict of 1862 in the format of your choice at the links below, as the 150th anniversary of the Dakota Conflict continues.

Amazon Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007O2AMX2

Barnes and Noble Nook 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-on-the-prairie-a-novel-of-the-sioux-uprising-sesquicentennial-edition-steven-m-ulmen/1110322785?ean=2940014643931
      Google Books
http://books.google.com/books?printsec=frontcover&id=6rU-6z03smwC#v=onepage&q&f=false